Honorable mention: Brad Keselowski. Dude when from being a kid who couldn’t stop running into people, to an incredibly smart team owner who brung Roush back from the dead. It’s rare to find a Brad hater nowadays.
Absolutely. I haven’t appreciated choices made by either of them at times but there is no denying they both have made the sport more fun to watch for years. Both outstanding stock car drivers
For majority of the '80s, Darrell Waltrip was the most hated driver in NASCAR, but at The Winston in 1989, Rusty Wallace became the new heel by spinning him out before the final lap. Almost overnight, Waltrip became a babyface, with the fans suddenly cheering him.
I still hope LaJoie finds a win in Cup. Yeah, you hear a lot of excuses, but he isn't afraid to speak his mind. And let's be honest, I'll take it over the generic 'ae shucks' mentality kept to maintain sponsors.
What REALLY didn't help DiBenedetto was his handling of losing his rides. Circumstances aside, most drivers handle that sort of thing with professionalism and some positivity, like thanking the team for their time together and looking forward to future opportunities. Matt pretty much did none of that. He would just cry about it on Twitter, burn every bridge he had with them, and try to vilify his former associates. He did this with LFR, WBR, RW.A.R., and that failed deal at the start of 2024. The Rackley W.A.R. one is the most egregious in my opinion, because he already announced his departure at seasons end, but because he got let go early, he did his usual "cry cry cry" routine. It's also probably why he can't get any good rides anymore, because that kind of attitude turns people, teams, and sponsors, away. I can imagine history will repeat itself if RSS/Viking doesn't re-sign him.
@@cheetahyodaWhat are you talking about !!! He took NO accountability for anything, and was always looking for the better ride. Never trying or willing to do HIS part to make his current deal better. The guy is a cry baby and thinks his talent is better than he is..
You didn’t go back quite far enough. When I first saw the thumbnail for this video I instantly went back to the “89” all star race. In an instant their roles were reversed in the fan’s eyes after Rusty Wallace dumped Darrell Waltrip for the win.
Dale Earnhardt Sr. was somehow hated due to his reckless driving but then became one of the fan's most love drivers mainly because he was a "good ol'boy" compared to the new nice guy drivers as Jeff Gordon.
I think Danica is a victim of her own success and marketing. She was just started to get the hang of it on Xfinity and got to cup way too quick, plus she didn’t have the patience to deal with the beating and banging of this racing style.
Totally agree and to go from open wheel to nascar is literally like going from soccer to football. I think her NASCAR career got way more attention than it should. Other rookies in her class didn't get a 10th of the spotlight. So few guys can make that leap to stock car.
Your comment of Danica Patrick not having a great personality definitely rings true. A couple of the most egregious examples in recent times were her complaining about her bad luck while being interviewed right after being involved in the 2017 Kansas crash that injured Aric Almorila and her disgraceful comment on Instagram where she heavily criticized Martin Truex Jr over his subdued response to the passing of Sherry Pollex(Even stating that she never liked him as well as “You’re free from this now, Sherry”). Kamikaze Games nickname of “Dumbfuck Danica” after the latter is kinda fitting to her.
I don't know whether if she acted like that during her IndyCar days. Maybe yes but prolly swept under the rug. She's basically Ricardo Rosset's spear counterpart.
She was marketed as a hot female driver when she came to nascar after a sports illustrated swimsuit shoot so a good looking female and nascar always capitalizing on that opportunity she was pushed heavily, still sucked tho. Should’ve stuck to Indy car. When she was on Rogans podcast I think it was she literally said she didn’t know anything about cars. That’s what I miss about the old gen of drivers they knew cars the oldest ones likely helped build they’re cards, now it’s execs and former drivers kids silver spoon fed and guaranteed a seat because millions and billions back them. Now that deegans flame finally blew out, and Natalie “I’m starting an OF” decker aren’t around now billionaires daughter Toni B. Is the next one they’ll push and she’s mid at best. Just another female that just doesn’t break that barrier of 16-25th place at best 30+ at worst.
IDK, I thought Denny was a fairly popular driver as a rookie and early on, at least with JGR fans. But, then he starting opening his mouth more, and no one liked what was coming out of it... lol
Let's be clear. We liked most of these drivers because they had potential, and ended up disappointing us. This happens with every sport. See Johnny Manziel or Bryce Young.
Dale Jr was the biggest one for me. I thought he was super overrated early in his career and nearly got my ass kicked for booing him at Charlotte one year. I saw him as just piggybacking off his dad's name. However, as he progressed and as I got older and started paying more attention to his passion for the history of the sport, I started liking him a lot more.
I know exactly what you mean. I was never a fan of his driving, but his passion for the history of the sport, and his wanting to document it before the early generations of drivers/engineers/owners are all gone, is very much worthy of respect.
Give it time, who knows how Logano will be viewed in 10 years. I don't root for him, but if it can happen to Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman or Jeff Gordon, it's not out of the question.
There is also Haylie Deegan. People thought she was going to be good, and she was just decant even in top-tier truck equipment she didn't do much, and then Xfinity was just ok even though she was last in full-time drivers. Now, she is going to Indy to try to be successful in that series
I don't think many people hate Deegan, though. Many have lost emotional investment in her, but most of the people that hate her are guys that hate on any woman in motorsport and root for them to fail.
@mattb.2740 I don't hate her. I want her to succeed and just don't know if she will get another chance in top-tier equipment. But I will say she is far better than Patrick. I would even say she is better than some of these young drivers in trucks that drive way over their heads
Kyle buschs hatred is very comparable to the vettel hatred in red bull times. He won a ton, was hated by it. As soon as he stopped dominating, people started liking him
Great list. Kurt Busch definitely needs to be on here though. I'm a huge fan and always have been, but I think he's had the biggest transformation in terms of fan opinion over his career.
In the 1990s I recall my elderly Mom had a dislike for Rusty Wallace, where prior to viewing the televised Sunday Cup races, her comment would be: 'I wonder what kind of whiny excuse Rusty Wallace will have today?' As in many of those races, Rusty got camera/microphone time on TV when he did not win the race; explaining away why he came up short.
And Danica the retired driver is even more hated than NASCAR driver Danica. She could’ve at least tried to gain respect in retirement, not toss away whatever respect was left becoming a washed, whiny, trash person trashing a driver during a tragic moment in his life. Her becoming a grifter is less shocking when you think about it.
Tbh some of whom he mentioned he really didn't go into a whole lot of why fans changed their opinion. Could definitely have a longer video of going more in depth on those mentioned and those who weren't mentioned like you say, Brad and others.
Don't forget that in the 2008 Richmond race, Denny had dominated before he had a problem. If anything I felt bad for him dominating the race just to lose it that way and having Clint Bowyer of all people swipe the win among the chaos
Back in the late 90s and 2000s fans did not like Tony Stewart, he was a hothead, Indy car driver, that spoke what he felt and also came into the sport and won early. Then February 15th 2004 happened and people noticed he drafted really good with Dale Jr. . Then he left JGR and Toyota to start his own team with Chevy adding to the fandom. People today cry that they long for a driver personality like Smoke again but he was very polarizing when he was a driver, especially when he was in the 20.
I will say I despised Kyle Busch in his career. He was Arrogant and had an attitude when things didn’t go his way on track. But with the way JGR screwed him over, I’ve been wanting to see him succeed at RCR more and more.
5:46 Kyle Busch still is exactly that. He's never not been that. To paraphrase that infamous Mitch Hedberg quote, "he's still like that, but he used to be like that too"
I think Bowman is another guy people have changed minds on he used to be popular taking over for Dale Jr but a lot of people have begun to dislike him over the past couple years
I’m an old timer here having been a NASCAR fan since the late 1970’s and I would have to add Darrell Waltrip to this list. He had kind of a small scale version of the “Gordon/Johnson Syndrome” where he was disliked just because he was so dominant. He was also quite outspoken. Not to the degree of Loudmouth Denny Hamlin but he was pretty brash. Then along came his win in the 1989 Daytona 500 where we saw a different side of ol’ DW. Eventually he became a car owner and struggling driver who we cheered for as an underdog. After that went away he became a broadcaster/analyst whom many loved and some hated. He was a mentor to young drivers and an ambassador to the sport. I think the moment that endeared DW to us all, though was the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. That wreck didn’t look too wicked to us watching on TV, but Darrell knew. He’d taken enough similar shots himself to know that was bad. I think every viewer that day just wanted to reach through their TV sets and give him a hug. Sometimes he got on my nerves but given the crop of announcers we have now, I’d take Darrell back in a heart beat.
I have a what if scenario based on NASCAR nostalgia. What if we had racing on Thanksgiving? What if NASCAR had a race on Christmas? Which tracks would host the Thanksgiving and Christmas race dates, and what would the race format be?
I have always visualized them like this, the two events would be held at Rockingham and Atlanta. For Thanksgiving, it would be 3 segments for a total of 90 laps. After the first segment, there is a 20-minute eating break. For the second segment, the field is reversed, and the back goes to the front. And the final segment is a fifteen-car dash to the finish. The winner gets a large turkey/chicken/turducken of their choice to share with their crew.
Thanksgiving - a massive meal, followed by 500 laps of Loudon. Winner determined by either completing race distance, or by being the last to have a gastric incident on track/in the pits...💩💩💩 Christmas - Race to be held in northern WI, at a frozen lake. Competitive Snowman building for qualifying, with the drivers kids as judges, followed by Ice Racing! Depending on the size of the lake, could be a road course, or could be an oval (it could even be both, with the track changing between stages - need a BIG lake for that, tho...). Stage 1 - 20 minutes, followed by a break featuring the car crews having a carol singing competition. Stage 2 - 30 minutes of racing, followed by a mass snowball fight! Stage 3 - 60 minutes of racing, pit stops 'n all. Of course, as this is all to be held on ice, studded tires are a necessity...😅🎅🥶🥶🥶
Ryan Newman... hated him when he wrecked my friend Bob Strait coming out of turn 1 on the last lap of a Pocono ARCA race to WIN ! in 2000. ( he had a faster car, could have easily passed Bob on the back straight clean. Would've been happy with 2nd place. ) Just glad Ryan didn't get killed in that Daytona 500 wreck. Still not a Newman fan. That won't ever change.
A little surprised you didn't include Darrell Waltrip, who I feel was the first driver of modern NASCAR to have fans turn on (positively). And I feel his hero arc is the most impressive because he went from being hated to literally being awarded Most Popular Driver.
Even though it’s not a driver, I changed my opinion completely about Rackley WAR in trucks after last year.Back when they first started in 2021 I became a fan of them like I already was for all the other small teams in NASCAR, and became even more of a fan when they signed Dibenedetto.Going into 2023, I was still a fan of them until after Bristol in the Fall when they fired Dibenedetto after he finished top 10 all because he announced he was leaving the team at the end of the season, which was completely petty on the team’s part considering how so many other drivers announce that they’re leaving their current teams, some even leaving their current manufacturers, and not once did any of those teams immediately fire the drivers for announcing that they were leaving.Not to mention, Rackley has now fired their full time drivers in 3 of the 4 years they competed
Christopher Bell is my most recent turn. I thought he looked like a little boy (totally ignorant of me, I know) but then I did a NASCAR survey and he was my #1 match. I've been a fan ever since.
so...,I was a die-hard Kenseth fan. But I'm also an avid dirt-track fan (and photographer at 2 tracks in the area) and around 2016/17 when I knew Kenseth's time was coming to an end in NASCAR, I needed a "future favorite", meaning a young guy to have in my back pocket. It was going to be Rico Abreu, he didn't get a fair shake in the trucks, so I went with Bell over Larson. Future looks very bright for me, and I guess I gotta pull for that 20 car!
I was thinking about this the other day as a Logano fan, I wonder what it would take for fans to turn on him like they did for Kyle Busch. Seems hard to believe but I remember how crazy it was the first time I heard people cheering for KFB at daytona
I don't think anyone will as long as he keeps using the playoffs to get as far as he does. It doesn't really matter what he does off track as long as the playoffs exist.
Poor Denny has always been a heel for me. My two favorite drivers growing up were oddly Jeff Gordon and Kyle Petty so I was anti Joe Gibbs racing and then Denny got into it with Kyle so he's been my least favorite driver ever since.
I know for me personally I remember really not liking Juan Pablo Montoya when he entered NASCAR from F1 back in 2006 mainly due to his antics in F1 with Williams & McLaren. I also thought his time in F1 was a total disaster given how much hype he had coming into F1 from his success in CART. However once Montoya started getting good results & especially after his win at Sonoma, I started liking him & admiring his ability to transition from open wheel racing to stock cars. Then on the other hand, I really liked Tony Stewart when I first started watching NASCAR as a kid in the late 90's mainly due to the paint scheme he first had with the Home Depot #20. However that quickly changed once I saw him complain a lot & drive dirty. Then when he became a team owner (the Stewart-Haas days), I began liking him again & now he is one of my favorite drivers in the NHRA. Lastly there is Nelson Piquet Jr who I really didn't like after the whole "Crashgate" scandal following the 2008 Singapore GP but like Tony Stewart, my opinion of him got better once he distanced himself from that (and briefly entered NASCAR) & I met him at a Global Rallycross event at my local track of Evergreen Speedway near Seattle in 2017.
The Danica experience died when GODADDY left ….. no matter what anyone says $€X sells…. look at Ms D she hasn’t gotten that sponsorship to get her into top tier equipment….. if P & G got behind her and would run some “ herbal essence “ type commercials she might currently be in NASCAR and not be heading to the Indy busch league
People overlook on why Kyle spun dale jr a year before in the 2007 Kansas fall race he got spun by dale jr while racing for a championship i might add and to make it worse he replaced him and did nothing went winless while Kyle was having a career year in 2008 anyway to my point dale jr fans overlook on why kyle did what he did and hate when context is needed and involved
1. If you watch the video of the Kansas race, Busch tries to swerve up in front of Jr. And Jr. Even said later " I thought he was going to stay low so I throttled up to go by on the outside". 2. There was no reason for Kyle to race Jr. The way he did at Richmond in '08 there is way to move guys out of the way without wrecking them, Kyle hadn't yet grasped that concept at that point in his career.
I still like Matty D, and I’m sad he’s was replace by guy who didn’t deserve to be in cup at all, but I can’t say he did everything right, cause if he did, he might still of had a cup ride.
I used to dislike Kyle Larson from when he was at Ganassi during his tenure from 2014-2020, but when the whole iracing incident happened and he got suspended as a result, I ended up feeling bad for him as I thought at the time his career in Nascar was over. Thankfully Hendrick essentially saved his career, and he won the 2021 championship in his comeback year which made me become a fan of his. Another driver I used to hate back in the day was Joey Logano from 2009-2016. Since 2018, I've became a fan of Logano/Penske.
Always thought the Denny Hamlin one was interesting. I was a NASCAR fan in the 90s to early 2000s. Around 2007 to 2020, i just didnt follow it a whole lot and missed a lot of stuff. I liked Hamlin when he started, and was surprised to see he was so hated when i came back. Yeah, he has a lot more experience now which makes for a lot of opinions that come off as whiny.
Liked Kyle Larson in the 42 but now he’s my least favorite driver. His reckless driving has pissed me off constantly over this season ruining so many good races. And the love from the fans for him after his weird Covid shit doesn’t help
A drivers track skills will always be show how they take the 3-4 turn @ any track. That's when your skills have to show up or show out, you can brake early into the turn and haul ass coming out or go full send and hope for the best! Danica was using her open wheel skills thinking that Stock Cars handle the same and she met that wall ever time in one of the best rides and paint schemes of that era. But like buddy said she was grifting from the word GO!
Could throw Ricky Stenhouse in there. Dude really wasn’t much of anything, then he won his first 2 races which were cool. Then came the 2018 Coke Zero 400, and the rest is history (though now he seems pretty quiet again)
Give it a few years and I think Denny Hamlin will be more popular. Especially if he doesn't have a championship and hes down to his last good season. I think some fans, like myself don't hate him as much anymore since he is fighting NASCAR and he is one of the few people that seem to be honest on his podcast.... Honest in terms of bashing NASCAR and sing what needs changed. Now when it comes to defending himself he may not be too honest but thats understandable
For me as Bowman fan, he wreck my favorite driver 2022 Nashville and even worst 2024 Daytona 500 he wreck Cindric and Chastain that cost Alex Bowman his win.
And I don't think LaJoie wrecked him on purpose. The spotter was gaslighting him, trying to say that what he did was right, and all that stuff, and Corey in his interview clearly didn't see the replay, and the viewpoint from inside a racecar is different compared to watching it from the stands or the TV.
@@josepedrorodriguez2376 I don't think Nashville was intentional, nor was Daytona. It was coming down to the last lap, and Corey was trying to go for it, and since it's such a huge race to win, I don't blame him. Ross Chastain would've probably made the same move LaJoie did.
I don’t think Matty D wasted an opportunity. It’s called not having millions in sponsorship to run in Cup. WBR and Levine have stated that was the reason he got replaced not due to performance.
@@stocker2525 Irony of that is Austin can be the first driver to win a Championship in all three major touring series, if he ever won a Cup Championship. (Little known fact many fans have no idea of).
@@August36-q3g Ty Dillon hasn't done anything remotely wrong in over a decade since the 2013 Martinsville Truck race, and people hate him for that even though since then he's humble now.
No mention of possibly the biggest "Name" in NASCAR to go from Loved, to Hated, to Loved, and so on. Who am I talking about? Dale Earnhardt Sr. Yes, when he was dominant, he was LOATHED, to the extent that an organization called F.A.D.E. came into being - Fans Against Dale Earnhardt. There were T-shirts and everything. Then Dale dropped off after he got injured, and F.A.D.E. started to go away. Then Daytona 2001 happened, and F.A.D.E was buried alongside the coffin, with DE(Sr) rapidly being canonized in the NASCAR community. People who had spent years slagging off Sr, suddenly didn't have a bad thing to say about him. Things that had been decried as "Blatant Cheating", were suddenly "Good Hard Racin'"... Yup, NASCAR fans. We're a fickle bunch, supportive one day, dismissive the next...
Also old Hacklin proved he is no more than a Hack because he keeps intentionally fencing people and making it look like an accident. He says he wants to be the most hated driver yet he cant stand getting booed. He has a fragile Ego and is a dirty driver on top of that. Hes also a crybaby. Now while Im rooting for his lawsuit to be successful, thats the only Hacklin Victory im rooting for. And if I was in Larsons shoes at Kansas, there would of been another Kyle Busch/Ron Hornaday or Kenseth/Logano after the checkered flag. Id of made damn sure hes not doing a burnout. Plus at Gateway he opened up the steering and walled himself after Chastain gave him a bump and run. NASCAR should of parked him for life after that, not only for disobeying Race control, but the racist tweet after Auto Club. And I suspect if he loses this lawsuit, NASCAR will end his career by inacting a lifetime ban.
Ok. I Used To Hate Kyle Busch, When He Joined Joe Gibbs Racing After Being A Villainous Crybaby, For The Past, 15 Years, From 2008 To 2021. But, I Used To Like Him Before... In Both 20010 And 2011. But... i Started Like Him Again, When He Joined Richard Childress Racing In 2023.
Danica Patrick will forever be The Catalyst of The Jeff Gordon/Clint Bowyer Saga in 2012 (Which Foreshadowed The Matt Kenseth/Joey Logano Saga in 2015) because of The Contract between Stewart Haas Racing & Tommy Baldwin Racing on The 10 Car benefitting both teams which is why David Reutimann caused The Race Altering Caution with 4 to go in The Infamous Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville (Which Resulted in The Infamous Advocare 500 at Phoenix 7 Months Later) to stay in the Top 35 as a means of guaranteeing Danica in The 9 Remaining Races (With The Daytona 500 being Danica's Cup Series Debut where She Finished 2 Spots Ahead of Jeff Gordon & 4 Spots Ahead of Jimmie Johnson) regarding her Part-Time Cup schedule which consisted of 10 Races that season.
I turned on Dale Jr but in a good way. Could not stand him during the dei plate track domination days but now after listening to his podcast and the announcer I regret not appreciating him at the time
Ryan Blaney comes to mind. I don’t recall people remarking on him being as whiney in the past compared to nowadays. And aside from people thinking of him as whiney now, his championship run is another thing that I would say has had people turn their backs on him.
Pretty simple Nascar fans hate winners at least ones that win all the time. But what fans hate the most is loosers especially ones that have way too much hype.
I remember trying really hard to support and like Danica, but the more she screwed up and the longer she stayed in the sport... the more I disliked her.
What NASCAR driver have you changed your mind on before? Either to like or dislike?
Easily Kurt Busch
Kyle Busch/Denny Hamlin
Chase Briscoe and Harrison Burton because both costed Kyle Busch a chance at getting a win in 2024 three times.
Iceberg, you've never told us who your favorite drivers are, who are they?
@@karlcalvert812he liked Jr growing up don’t know if he has favorite now
I think the fanbase has gone from hating drivers to hating NASCAR itself
fr
Or both. Look at the Logano haters who also NASCAR haters.
Which is worse. When we are talking about rules and owners and executives more than the product. It’s a big problem.
nascar was the only reason i had cable. i havent had cable since 2019 lol
They’ve always hated it self consciously lol
Honorable mention: Brad Keselowski. Dude when from being a kid who couldn’t stop running into people, to an incredibly smart team owner who brung Roush back from the dead. It’s rare to find a Brad hater nowadays.
Since he went to rfk I was rooting for him to win 🤣 I loved roush growing up and I'm glad they are good again.
and hes absolutely fantastic with fans.
The Busch brothers at different times could be their own whole video on this subject.
Absolutely. I haven’t appreciated choices made by either of them at times but there is no denying they both have made the sport more fun to watch for years. Both outstanding stock car drivers
There is a video dedicated for the Busch brothers on @TheDailyDownforce channel
There's a video about them on @TheDailyDownforce channel
I use to loathe Kurt but by the end of his SHR stint, I appreciated him and really did when he went to 23XI.
Kurt Busch's villian arc doesn't get enough credit. 😂
Still hard to believe Logano won a fan vote for the All-Star Race even though that was before he went to Penske.
For majority of the '80s, Darrell Waltrip was the most hated driver in NASCAR, but at The Winston in 1989, Rusty Wallace became the new heel by spinning him out before the final lap. Almost overnight, Waltrip became a babyface, with the fans suddenly cheering him.
For Corey Lajoie, many fans are hoping he'll be drafted for the Guangdong Tigers soon.
Talk about a dead meme people are poking a dead horse with a stick with.
@@BrianIsTheGOAT594Corey Lajoke and Austin Dillon should start a house painting business.
I still hope LaJoie finds a win in Cup. Yeah, you hear a lot of excuses, but he isn't afraid to speak his mind. And let's be honest, I'll take it over the generic 'ae shucks' mentality kept to maintain sponsors.
@@jamiesweitzer8469 *Corey LaJoie.
@@jamiesweitzer8469 you mean blouse making business?
What REALLY didn't help DiBenedetto was his handling of losing his rides. Circumstances aside, most drivers handle that sort of thing with professionalism and some positivity, like thanking the team for their time together and looking forward to future opportunities. Matt pretty much did none of that. He would just cry about it on Twitter, burn every bridge he had with them, and try to vilify his former associates. He did this with LFR, WBR, RW.A.R., and that failed deal at the start of 2024. The Rackley W.A.R. one is the most egregious in my opinion, because he already announced his departure at seasons end, but because he got let go early, he did his usual "cry cry cry" routine. It's also probably why he can't get any good rides anymore, because that kind of attitude turns people, teams, and sponsors, away. I can imagine history will repeat itself if RSS/Viking doesn't re-sign him.
You call it professional, I call it being real. He told the truth and got hated for it :))
@@cheetahyodaWhat are you talking about !!!
He took NO accountability for anything, and was always looking for the better ride. Never trying or willing to do HIS part to make his current deal better. The guy is a cry baby and thinks his talent is better than he is..
You didn’t go back quite far enough. When I first saw the thumbnail for this video I instantly went back to the “89” all star race. In an instant their roles were reversed in the fan’s eyes after Rusty Wallace dumped Darrell Waltrip for the win.
The only thing that Danica did for the sport is sell a lot of merchandise for her sponsors, teams and Nascar.
That's all these types of drivers are ever good for.
To be fair that is quite a lot I just wish she had stuck to indycar
Dale Earnhardt Sr. was somehow hated due to his reckless driving but then became one of the fan's most love drivers mainly because he was a "good ol'boy" compared to the new nice guy drivers as Jeff Gordon.
I think Danica is a victim of her own success and marketing. She was just started to get the hang of it on Xfinity and got to cup way too quick, plus she didn’t have the patience to deal with the beating and banging of this racing style.
Totally agree and to go from open wheel to nascar is literally like going from soccer to football. I think her NASCAR career got way more attention than it should. Other rookies in her class didn't get a 10th of the spotlight. So few guys can make that leap to stock car.
Your comment of Danica Patrick not having a great personality definitely rings true. A couple of the most egregious examples in recent times were her complaining about her bad luck while being interviewed right after being involved in the 2017 Kansas crash that injured Aric Almorila and her disgraceful comment on Instagram where she heavily criticized Martin Truex Jr over his subdued response to the passing of Sherry Pollex(Even stating that she never liked him as well as “You’re free from this now, Sherry”).
Kamikaze Games nickname of “Dumbfuck Danica” after the latter is kinda fitting to her.
Yep but I think deep down inside KamikazeGames likes Danica because she likes his big guy too.
I don't know whether if she acted like that during her IndyCar days. Maybe yes but prolly swept under the rug.
She's basically Ricardo Rosset's spear counterpart.
And the "Dumb-Fuck Danica" sobriquet is a little too nice a nickname for someone who is a "Beta Female with Alpha Bitch personality" like her.
She was marketed as a hot female driver when she came to nascar after a sports illustrated swimsuit shoot so a good looking female and nascar always capitalizing on that opportunity she was pushed heavily, still sucked tho. Should’ve stuck to Indy car. When she was on Rogans podcast I think it was she literally said she didn’t know anything about cars. That’s what I miss about the old gen of drivers they knew cars the oldest ones likely helped build they’re cards, now it’s execs and former drivers kids silver spoon fed and guaranteed a seat because millions and billions back them. Now that deegans flame finally blew out, and Natalie “I’m starting an OF” decker aren’t around now billionaires daughter Toni B. Is the next one they’ll push and she’s mid at best. Just another female that just doesn’t break that barrier of 16-25th place at best 30+ at worst.
@@RazorSharp75426 she did, but it wasnt as noticeable since milka duno was racing then and doing worse on and off track 🤣
I hated Dale SR until I started seeing him with JR, he seemed a lot more down to earth
Understandable
He was very hated back then. Some older fans still hate him.
I was never a fan of Jr, until AFTER his career was over. He's a cool guy and a great historian for the sport.
And just remember Danica Patrick said on one of the podcast she absolutely hates NASCAR and people kept wrecking her
You know what? I’m gonna say it: Denny Hamlin is one of my favorite drivers. You can’t have a great hero without an equally great villain.
IDK, I thought Denny was a fairly popular driver as a rookie and early on, at least with JGR fans. But, then he starting opening his mouth more, and no one liked what was coming out of it... lol
Truth is painful
Let's be clear. We liked most of these drivers because they had potential, and ended up disappointing us. This happens with every sport. See Johnny Manziel or Bryce Young.
…and Tommy Devito 😂🤌
@youget2 Dude I actually love Tommy, but that's also probably because he's not on my team 🤣
Dale Jr was the biggest one for me. I thought he was super overrated early in his career and nearly got my ass kicked for booing him at Charlotte one year. I saw him as just piggybacking off his dad's name. However, as he progressed and as I got older and started paying more attention to his passion for the history of the sport, I started liking him a lot more.
I know exactly what you mean. I was never a fan of his driving, but his passion for the history of the sport, and his wanting to document it before the early generations of drivers/engineers/owners are all gone, is very much worthy of respect.
I really don’t hate one driver in particular like years past. I still hate the playoffs and the sanctioning body itself more than
If you a hated young driver you usually become a respected beloved veteran eventually …. Unless your Logano or Hamlin lol
Give it time, who knows how Logano will be viewed in 10 years. I don't root for him, but if it can happen to Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman or Jeff Gordon, it's not out of the question.
I never had a problem with Logano until Kansas 2015. Can't stand him to this day. He's so nice but yet so unlikeable.
There is also Haylie Deegan. People thought she was going to be good, and she was just decant even in top-tier truck equipment she didn't do much, and then Xfinity was just ok even though she was last in full-time drivers. Now, she is going to Indy to try to be successful in that series
I don't think many people hate Deegan, though. Many have lost emotional investment in her, but most of the people that hate her are guys that hate on any woman in motorsport and root for them to fail.
@mattb.2740 I don't hate her. I want her to succeed and just don't know if she will get another chance in top-tier equipment. But I will say she is far better than Patrick. I would even say she is better than some of these young drivers in trucks that drive way over their heads
Not including Dale Sr. After he wrecked Terry at Bristol is a shame.
Kyle buschs hatred is very comparable to the vettel hatred in red bull times. He won a ton, was hated by it. As soon as he stopped dominating, people started liking him
As a kid I liked Danica just because I thought she was hot and like her color schemes
Great list. Kurt Busch definitely needs to be on here though. I'm a huge fan and always have been, but I think he's had the biggest transformation in terms of fan opinion over his career.
In the 1990s I recall my elderly Mom had a dislike for Rusty Wallace, where prior to viewing the televised Sunday Cup races, her comment would be: 'I wonder what kind of whiny excuse Rusty Wallace will have today?' As in many of those races, Rusty got camera/microphone time on TV when he did not win the race; explaining away why he came up short.
Ty Gibbs will be on this list in 5 years
In good or bad way?
@@stocker2525 good
And Danica the retired driver is even more hated than NASCAR driver Danica. She could’ve at least tried to gain respect in retirement, not toss away whatever respect was left becoming a washed, whiny, trash person trashing a driver during a tragic moment in his life. Her becoming a grifter is less shocking when you think about it.
I'm curious Brad Keselowski is not mentioned.
2nd part coming soon?
Tbh some of whom he mentioned he really didn't go into a whole lot of why fans changed their opinion. Could definitely have a longer video of going more in depth on those mentioned and those who weren't mentioned like you say, Brad and others.
Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip should top such a list!
Don't forget that in the 2008 Richmond race, Denny had dominated before he had a problem. If anything I felt bad for him dominating the race just to lose it that way and having Clint Bowyer of all people swipe the win among the chaos
I think 2012 Joey Logano Pocono has to be there, 2014 Brad K was an absolute menace, 2006 Brian Vickers, 2015 Kevin Harvick Talladega
2011 Brian Vickers*
@ nope 06 Vickers started it after he wrecked Jimmie and Jr and Talladega but 2011 definitely was the final nail in the coffin
Back in the late 90s and 2000s fans did not like Tony Stewart, he was a hothead, Indy car driver, that spoke what he felt and also came into the sport and won early. Then February 15th 2004 happened and people noticed he drafted really good with Dale Jr. . Then he left JGR and Toyota to start his own team with Chevy adding to the fandom. People today cry that they long for a driver personality like Smoke again but he was very polarizing when he was a driver, especially when he was in the 20.
I will say I despised Kyle Busch in his career. He was Arrogant and had an attitude when things didn’t go his way on track. But with the way JGR screwed him over, I’ve been wanting to see him succeed at RCR more and more.
5:46 Kyle Busch still is exactly that. He's never not been that.
To paraphrase that infamous Mitch Hedberg quote, "he's still like that, but he used to be like that too"
Denny gets boos because he’s Bubba’s team owner too. The boos at the track started getting WAY louder in 2021.
Yep that's one big reason for me, why I boo him for that. But I do remember they were getting louder by 2021.
I don't mind bubba he's a Tennessee fan. I can't stand Denny in the car
That is very suspicious. Bubba didn't really do anything to be that hated other than exist
I think Bowman is another guy people have changed minds on he used to be popular taking over for Dale Jr but a lot of people have begun to dislike him over the past couple years
I’m personally a fan of Denny Hamlin. Never felt he drives dirty intentionally
Same here
@@RUSH240 Third.
I’m an old timer here having been a NASCAR fan since the late 1970’s and I would have to add Darrell Waltrip to this list. He had kind of a small scale version of the “Gordon/Johnson Syndrome” where he was disliked just because he was so dominant. He was also quite outspoken. Not to the degree of Loudmouth Denny Hamlin but he was pretty brash. Then along came his win in the 1989 Daytona 500 where we saw a different side of ol’ DW. Eventually he became a car owner and struggling driver who we cheered for as an underdog. After that went away he became a broadcaster/analyst whom many loved and some hated. He was a mentor to young drivers and an ambassador to the sport. I think the moment that endeared DW to us all, though was the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. That wreck didn’t look too wicked to us watching on TV, but Darrell knew. He’d taken enough similar shots himself to know that was bad. I think every viewer that day just wanted to reach through their TV sets and give him a hug. Sometimes he got on my nerves but given the crop of announcers we have now, I’d take Darrell back in a heart beat.
Elton Sawyer. 🤣🤣🤣
@@noahcoleman5556 ^^
7:37 Also add to the fact
He won the talladega race by Passing under the Yellow Line
And he jumped the start at Richmond
I have a what if scenario based on NASCAR nostalgia. What if we had racing on Thanksgiving? What if NASCAR had a race on Christmas? Which tracks would host the Thanksgiving and Christmas race dates, and what would the race format be?
I have always visualized them like this, the two events would be held at Rockingham and Atlanta. For Thanksgiving, it would be 3 segments for a total of 90 laps. After the first segment, there is a 20-minute eating break. For the second segment, the field is reversed, and the back goes to the front. And the final segment is a fifteen-car dash to the finish. The winner gets a large turkey/chicken/turducken of their choice to share with their crew.
Thanksgiving - a massive meal, followed by 500 laps of Loudon. Winner determined by either completing race distance, or by being the last to have a gastric incident on track/in the pits...💩💩💩
Christmas - Race to be held in northern WI, at a frozen lake. Competitive Snowman building for qualifying, with the drivers kids as judges, followed by Ice Racing! Depending on the size of the lake, could be a road course, or could be an oval (it could even be both, with the track changing between stages - need a BIG lake for that, tho...). Stage 1 - 20 minutes, followed by a break featuring the car crews having a carol singing competition. Stage 2 - 30 minutes of racing, followed by a mass snowball fight! Stage 3 - 60 minutes of racing, pit stops 'n all. Of course, as this is all to be held on ice, studded tires are a necessity...😅🎅🥶🥶🥶
I think a lot of these are either young guys making excuses, old guys becoming villains, or old guys learning to chill out.
Ryan Newman... hated him when he wrecked my friend Bob Strait coming out of turn 1 on the last lap of a Pocono ARCA race to WIN ! in 2000. ( he had a faster car, could have easily passed Bob on the back straight clean. Would've been happy with 2nd place. ) Just glad Ryan didn't get killed in that Daytona 500 wreck. Still not a Newman fan. That won't ever change.
A little surprised you didn't include Darrell Waltrip, who I feel was the first driver of modern NASCAR to have fans turn on (positively). And I feel his hero arc is the most impressive because he went from being hated to literally being awarded Most Popular Driver.
Even though it’s not a driver, I changed my opinion completely about Rackley WAR in trucks after last year.Back when they first started in 2021 I became a fan of them like I already was for all the other small teams in NASCAR, and became even more of a fan when they signed Dibenedetto.Going into 2023, I was still a fan of them until after Bristol in the Fall when they fired Dibenedetto after he finished top 10 all because he announced he was leaving the team at the end of the season, which was completely petty on the team’s part considering how so many other drivers announce that they’re leaving their current teams, some even leaving their current manufacturers, and not once did any of those teams immediately fire the drivers for announcing that they were leaving.Not to mention, Rackley has now fired their full time drivers in 3 of the 4 years they competed
I definitely changed on Greg Biffle I’ve used to not like him
Same here! I also used to not like him, or Edwards back in the day (in which I regretted hating on as a kid).
Lajoie and Haley's 2024 numbers aren't that far off. The 7 car was cursed last season
Christopher Bell is my most recent turn. I thought he looked like a little boy (totally ignorant of me, I know) but then I did a NASCAR survey and he was my #1 match. I've been a fan ever since.
so...,I was a die-hard Kenseth fan. But I'm also an avid dirt-track fan (and photographer at 2 tracks in the area) and around 2016/17 when I knew Kenseth's time was coming to an end in NASCAR, I needed a "future favorite", meaning a young guy to have in my back pocket. It was going to be Rico Abreu, he didn't get a fair shake in the trucks, so I went with Bell over Larson. Future looks very bright for me, and I guess I gotta pull for that 20 car!
I was thinking about this the other day as a Logano fan, I wonder what it would take for fans to turn on him like they did for Kyle Busch. Seems hard to believe but I remember how crazy it was the first time I heard people cheering for KFB at daytona
I don't think anyone will as long as he keeps using the playoffs to get as far as he does. It doesn't really matter what he does off track as long as the playoffs exist.
Poor Denny has always been a heel for me. My two favorite drivers growing up were oddly Jeff Gordon and Kyle Petty so I was anti Joe Gibbs racing and then Denny got into it with Kyle so he's been my least favorite driver ever since.
I don’t call her Danica crashick I caught her crash queen but that’s also a really good nickname.
No one ever liked Danica she was always hated
I think some nascar fans now like Danica because of her political stance.
All the OGs know that Logano wasn’t always hated.
I know for me personally I remember really not liking Juan Pablo Montoya when he entered NASCAR from F1 back in 2006 mainly due to his antics in F1 with Williams & McLaren. I also thought his time in F1 was a total disaster given how much hype he had coming into F1 from his success in CART. However once Montoya started getting good results & especially after his win at Sonoma, I started liking him & admiring his ability to transition from open wheel racing to stock cars. Then on the other hand, I really liked Tony Stewart when I first started watching NASCAR as a kid in the late 90's mainly due to the paint scheme he first had with the Home Depot #20. However that quickly changed once I saw him complain a lot & drive dirty. Then when he became a team owner (the Stewart-Haas days), I began liking him again & now he is one of my favorite drivers in the NHRA. Lastly there is Nelson Piquet Jr who I really didn't like after the whole "Crashgate" scandal following the 2008 Singapore GP but like Tony Stewart, my opinion of him got better once he distanced himself from that (and briefly entered NASCAR) & I met him at a Global Rallycross event at my local track of Evergreen Speedway near Seattle in 2017.
The Danica experience died when GODADDY left ….. no matter what anyone says $€X sells…. look at Ms D she hasn’t gotten that sponsorship to get her into top tier equipment….. if P & G got behind her and would run some “ herbal essence “ type commercials she might currently be in NASCAR and not be heading to the Indy busch league
"Danica...kind of sucked in Nascar"
You are being very nice there Jaret
People overlook on why Kyle spun dale jr a year before in the 2007 Kansas fall race he got spun by dale jr while racing for a championship i might add and to make it worse he replaced him and did nothing went winless while Kyle was having a career year in 2008 anyway to my point dale jr fans overlook on why kyle did what he did and hate when context is needed and involved
1. If you watch the video of the Kansas race, Busch tries to swerve up in front of Jr. And Jr. Even said later " I thought he was going to stay low so I throttled up to go by on the outside". 2. There was no reason for Kyle to race Jr. The way he did at Richmond in '08 there is way to move guys out of the way without wrecking them, Kyle hadn't yet grasped that concept at that point in his career.
Sorry. Hendrick is still the Evil Empire. Elliott has done more to make it less that. But still my least favourite team by a large margin.
I still like Matty D, and I’m sad he’s was replace by guy who didn’t deserve to be in cup at all, but I can’t say he did everything right, cause if he did, he might still of had a cup ride.
I used to dislike Kyle Larson from when he was at Ganassi during his tenure from 2014-2020, but when the whole iracing incident happened and he got suspended as a result, I ended up feeling bad for him as I thought at the time his career in Nascar was over. Thankfully Hendrick essentially saved his career, and he won the 2021 championship in his comeback year which made me become a fan of his. Another driver I used to hate back in the day was Joey Logano from 2009-2016. Since 2018, I've became a fan of Logano/Penske.
I remember Landon Cassill being hyped up by reddit as this underdog who deserves a full-time cup ride
In his defense, every single one of his rides he ever got were backmarkers
Always thought the Denny Hamlin one was interesting. I was a NASCAR fan in the 90s to early 2000s. Around 2007 to 2020, i just didnt follow it a whole lot and missed a lot of stuff. I liked Hamlin when he started, and was surprised to see he was so hated when i came back. Yeah, he has a lot more experience now which makes for a lot of opinions that come off as whiny.
Liked Kyle Larson in the 42 but now he’s my least favorite driver. His reckless driving has pissed me off constantly over this season ruining so many good races. And the love from the fans for him after his weird Covid shit doesn’t help
Matty D got screwed
I feel like some drivers like Corey Lajoie and Matt DiBentiddo ( pretty sure I misspelled) were just over hyped by the fans
I still like danica, she got ran over alot too.
I used to like Chase Elliott but his fan base is so annoying that I can’t root for him anymore
As a Denny fan I enjoy the mass tears when he wins and finishes well.
A drivers track skills will always be show how they take the 3-4 turn @ any track. That's when your skills have to show up or show out, you can brake early into the turn and haul ass coming out or go full send and hope for the best! Danica was using her open wheel skills thinking that Stock Cars handle the same and she met that wall ever time in one of the best rides and paint schemes of that era. But like buddy said she was grifting from the word GO!
It sure looks like Danica sucked the oxygen out of the room for a while 😮
Could throw Ricky Stenhouse in there. Dude really wasn’t much of anything, then he won his first 2 races which were cool. Then came the 2018 Coke Zero 400, and the rest is history (though now he seems pretty quiet again)
I think Stenhouse could've won the 2018 Coke Zero 400 instead of Erik Jones.
Matty D is still one of my favorites and Lajoie. Haley will be next when he underperforms
Give it a few years and I think Denny Hamlin will be more popular. Especially if he doesn't have a championship and hes down to his last good season.
I think some fans, like myself don't hate him as much anymore since he is fighting NASCAR and he is one of the few people that seem to be honest on his podcast.... Honest in terms of bashing NASCAR and sing what needs changed. Now when it comes to defending himself he may not be too honest but thats understandable
I started hating LaJoie when he wrecked KFB at Pocono, That still pissed me off to this day.
the fact that he never got suspended is insulting to driver's safety
@@IanTheMotorsportsMan_YT that should be the spotter for enabling it.
For me as Bowman fan, he wreck my favorite driver 2022 Nashville and even worst 2024 Daytona 500 he wreck Cindric and Chastain that cost Alex Bowman his win.
And I don't think LaJoie wrecked him on purpose. The spotter was gaslighting him, trying to say that what he did was right, and all that stuff, and Corey in his interview clearly didn't see the replay, and the viewpoint from inside a racecar is different compared to watching it from the stands or the TV.
@@josepedrorodriguez2376 I don't think Nashville was intentional, nor was Daytona. It was coming down to the last lap, and Corey was trying to go for it, and since it's such a huge race to win, I don't blame him. Ross Chastain would've probably made the same move LaJoie did.
I don’t think Matty D wasted an opportunity. It’s called not having millions in sponsorship to run in Cup. WBR and Levine have stated that was the reason he got replaced not due to performance.
Why do fans hate Ty Dillon?
@@stocker2525 Irony of that is Austin can be the first driver to win a Championship in all three major touring series, if he ever won a Cup Championship. (Little known fact many fans have no idea of).
@@yrakcaz3064 True but wrong dillion.
@@CompleteToast Um, no..i said "Austin". Please read carefully.
@@yrakcaz3064 i meant the comment you're replying too (fact is neat, nothing to do with ty dillion besides a last name)w
@@August36-q3g Ty Dillon hasn't done anything remotely wrong in over a decade since the 2013 Martinsville Truck race, and people hate him for that even though since then he's humble now.
I always wonder how danica wouldve done in nascar if she had just raced down the road at rockford instead of going to europe
Hamlin is liked at Richmond. Fans booed Austin Dillon for wrecking Hamlin out.
“Hendrick was considered the evil Empire.”
Was?
Honestly I think the boos from fans for Kyle bush motivated him 😂
And to add the Kyle Busch segment. Some would call him "King Leech" whenever he was running in the Trucks and Xfinity Series. Especially in JGR.
DW should be on this
NASCAR fans change their minds faster than Bill Elliot’s Talledega lap.
I think you can include Matt Crafton in a second video
I'd replace Dale Jr with Deegan..... Deegan was getting really popular for a couple years and loved till she wasn't.
No mention of possibly the biggest "Name" in NASCAR to go from Loved, to Hated, to Loved, and so on. Who am I talking about? Dale Earnhardt Sr. Yes, when he was dominant, he was LOATHED, to the extent that an organization called F.A.D.E. came into being - Fans Against Dale Earnhardt. There were T-shirts and everything.
Then Dale dropped off after he got injured, and F.A.D.E. started to go away. Then Daytona 2001 happened, and F.A.D.E was buried alongside the coffin, with DE(Sr) rapidly being canonized in the NASCAR community. People who had spent years slagging off Sr, suddenly didn't have a bad thing to say about him. Things that had been decried as "Blatant Cheating", were suddenly "Good Hard Racin'"...
Yup, NASCAR fans. We're a fickle bunch, supportive one day, dismissive the next...
You can add Hailee Deegan to this list now
Dibenedetto complaining and whinning in a Penske Ride.
I guarentee being a crybaby is a contractual obligation for Penske.
Also old Hacklin proved he is no more than a Hack because he keeps intentionally fencing people and making it look like an accident. He says he wants to be the most hated driver yet he cant stand getting booed. He has a fragile Ego and is a dirty driver on top of that.
Hes also a crybaby. Now while Im rooting for his lawsuit to be successful, thats the only Hacklin Victory im rooting for.
And if I was in Larsons shoes at Kansas, there would of been another Kyle Busch/Ron Hornaday or Kenseth/Logano after the checkered flag. Id of made damn sure hes not doing a burnout.
Plus at Gateway he opened up the steering and walled himself after Chastain gave him a bump and run. NASCAR should of parked him for life after that, not only for disobeying Race control, but the racist tweet after Auto Club.
And I suspect if he loses this lawsuit, NASCAR will end his career by inacting a lifetime ban.
SAM Darnold
Ok. I Used To Hate Kyle Busch, When He Joined Joe Gibbs Racing After Being A Villainous Crybaby, For The Past, 15 Years, From 2008 To 2021.
But, I Used To Like Him Before... In Both 20010 And 2011.
But... i Started Like Him Again, When He Joined Richard Childress Racing In 2023.
Danica Patrick will forever be The Catalyst of The Jeff Gordon/Clint Bowyer Saga in 2012 (Which Foreshadowed The Matt Kenseth/Joey Logano Saga in 2015) because of The Contract between Stewart Haas Racing & Tommy Baldwin Racing on The 10 Car benefitting both teams which is why David Reutimann caused The Race Altering Caution with 4 to go in The Infamous Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville (Which Resulted in The Infamous Advocare 500 at Phoenix 7 Months Later) to stay in the Top 35 as a means of guaranteeing Danica in The 9 Remaining Races (With The Daytona 500 being Danica's Cup Series Debut where She Finished 2 Spots Ahead of Jeff Gordon & 4 Spots Ahead of Jimmie Johnson) regarding her Part-Time Cup schedule which consisted of 10 Races that season.
I turned on Dale Jr but in a good way. Could not stand him during the dei plate track domination days but now after listening to his podcast and the announcer I regret not appreciating him at the time
Ryan Blaney comes to mind. I don’t recall people remarking on him being as whiney in the past compared to nowadays. And aside from people thinking of him as whiney now, his championship run is another thing that I would say has had people turn their backs on him.
Ironic for a clean driver.
@ To be fair, even people who aren’t fans of Ryan Blaney aren’t going around saying he is a dirty driver like that.
Pretty simple Nascar fans hate winners at least ones that win all the time. But what fans hate the most is loosers especially ones that have way too much hype.
Some drivers fans definitely turned on
Have to be Almirola bubba Wallace and hemric possibly fans loved them then began to hate them
I remember trying really hard to support and like Danica, but the more she screwed up and the longer she stayed in the sport... the more I disliked her.
How about Bubba, he used to be well liked, turned into a lying race baiter and now is HATED. That’s the biggest one.
Found the MAGAt